Pictures from Col des Thuilles (2376m), la Gimette
Vallée de l'Ubaye, Alpes de Haute Provence, Southern FranceMountain Picture Ring (MPR) and© Copyright (2001) by nilum.com |
Quote from Ayn Rand's in "The Virtue of Selfishness" |
Pictures from Col des Thuilles (2376m), la Gimette, Les Thuilles, Ubaye Valley, Alpes de Haute Provence, Southern France, in fall 1999 from the road crossing (1300m) below the crete de Gimette to Col des Thuilles (2376m), denivelée 1100m, and May 2001 to Clot du Roi (1972m), denivelée 700m - photographer moi-meme.
This page is part of the mountain forest protection campain (MFPC). The new nasty road which cuts through the very steep hill at the north face of La Gimette was constructed between fall 2000 and spring 2001, crosses the previously untouched and beautiful hiking trail twice. Even in summer when it's very hot, this trail is very recommended, because the trees protect you against the sun while you mounts the uncountable switch-backs.
But they cut the trees faster than I can take the photos. I estimate, that the new road currently stops at elevation 1600m, but there are already signs on trees above that point, which most probably indicate its continuation in direction Clot du Roi (1972m). (See photo, no. 21 and description below.)
Photo no. 5 below shows a (hopefully) finished clear-cut at the inner west face at the entry of the Gimette valley.
The Gimette mountain is even steeper than the Peyron mountain, which is in the neighor community; see another mountain forest currently under destruction by the construction of a tax-payer subsidized road in the community of Méolans-Revel,
My experience shows, that the municipalities will not be able to maintain these roads. The roads are constructed to cut and transport the trees to sell the wood.
Does this desserted alpine forest really merit to be destroyed by subsidies? As explained in the Méolans-Revel page, cutting the trees would not be profitable, if the roads were not subsidized.
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